The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-02-27
STORI ELS OF THE BICYCLE.
THE CITIZENS CLUB DINNER TO
SrEVENS,
Who EotertaiDs Them Amid Songs
and Jokes with the History
of His Tour.

NKw York, F,burary 26.-It a
thoughtful waiter had not oDensd the
fol ing doors at the end of Morello's
long dining room Thursday night, a
e. stronomic catastrophe might have
oCcnrfed. The sturdy wheelmen of
the Citizens @ ub were packed n the
room that when hearts and waist bands
begsn 10 expand under the iIflaence
of elaborate coursel, enthusiasm,
LIQUID ard atmospheric and other ge.
Dial Influences, more room was de-
msnded. Bat the open door let the
club expand in safety. At the right
OF Pres dent John Q. Guile sat Thomas
stevens, who has pedalled and pushed
and padded his way around the earth.
At his left sat Col, A. A. Pope, of
the Massachusetts, Cub, the moving
spirit ia all wheeling circles. From
this center Of attraction the handsome
men OF the cub were graded of in
easy degrees, beginning with Richard
Nelson and E N. Blue, OF Puck, whose
tas eful desg ns decorated the first
page of the alb orate bill OF fare.
After the club had ,coased through
TIE entire bill, CAT. Thomas Smith
gave the order to ride close" and the
serious business, satiIized ia the pro
CANINE under the title Of SD. ain
fool" began. In seven well chosen
words President Quick ilt'o1u ed
Toss master Simeon Ford, who rose TO
the tinktiUg music of chestnut" bells.
The toa ,tmaster exceeded the exp q.
tons OF his most sanguine friends by
the number OF new jJkes which he
gave to the world.
Mr.. Stevens, VINO has faced all the
known and unknown terroIs of two
continents, seemed almost overcome
by the proloCg I'd shout and the boom
ing cheer of the club that greeted bis
pening words. He gave a chsrac.
teris.eally modest little aCcou 1t of his
trip around the world, in the curse OF
which he said:
The akali fats in the great Amer
can desert offer as good wheeling as
the sand papsred roads about Boston,
while the fertile lands of Iowa at the
time of year in which | reached them
were churned into an almost impass-
able state. In Ohio, where politics is
the staple article of food, | met gen.
tleman from New York, al d we there
fell into the han Is of willy politician
who steered us into his political meet
ing, and bsfore we knew it had US
posing before his constituents es "een-
tlemen WHO had ridden from the ex-
tremes Of the continent to witness the
success OF the CAUSE" In England
the horses pay no attention 10 biCy-
Gle. But in France the no ses became
sgain FESTIVE before the machine.
There is IN France, however, no speci-
men of what is known as the great
American road hog. The French
driver, instead of shouting, sect cut
OF the road with that thinR," takes off
bis hat and apologies for the stupidity
of his horse. Gen. Bou anger is justly
proud OF his artillery, but found that
one American wheelman could throw
an entire French battery ibt) con-
fusion. In case of foreign invasion
the Citizens Cub would doubtless do
great execution. About the only diff
ference between French and German
roads is that the former are swept
or ce a day, the latter once a week.
He gave rapid sketch OF his jour.
ney through Eastern Europe, coasting
down the caravan road of Mount Ara
rat, and his struggles with the Afghan
Boundary Commission. Continuing,
he ga d:
Ia Turkey the people kissed nv feet
to get me to ride for them. In Persia
every other man offered to buy my
mschine and wanted me TO ride and
show them how the thing worked.
Thus the Yankee like Pertian d ffersd
from the straightforward rurk. In
India l found 1900 miles Of the best
road in the world, built by the En-
glieh Government end called tbe
"Grand Trunk" In China the bicycle
was only an iucumbrance, There are
no reads in China. The rivers are the
only highways. In one city the mob
stoned me. Finally by many relays
Of soldiers l was handed over 10 the
En- lish Consul and took the steamer
for Japan. The roads in that country
are excellent.
Col. Pope, of Boston, epoke for the
NJ sse achusetts Club. Capt. T. @.
Smith did the honors for the Citizens,
and J.. Wood answered for "the
ladies'"
Then came the innings Of the "rag
tag and bob tall" as they were deli
cately referred to on the programme.
The flights Of fancy INDUCED in by
Elliot Msson, knight L. Clamp, O. X.
Alley, G. R. Bldwell, Alfred E atom, J.
I. Francis, W. Fl. Mccormick, the
Pool brothers and the Paillaid cous-
ms were Of the kind that only Cii-
sens' banquet can call forth. The
most brilliant OF the club galaxy of
musical talent, George M. Huss, w. ].
G. YuengliDg, DIR. ]. 8. Aitkin and
William B. King, sang as they rarely
if ever Gang before. Messrs. Sratton,
Dobsen, Yuengling and Ashley each
played on the instrument that he
loved best, while Messrs. Burdette
and Wilson told all the funny stories
they could beg, borrow or steal for the
occasion. The humming wheel Of
club rejoicing rolled on into the small
hours Of the morning with neither
brake nor "bsck pedalling" to check
its course.